The present invention relates to electroplating or electroforming and relates in particular to anode configuration, anode basket structure and cooperation between anodes and anode baskets to achieve (1) continuous maximum exposure of anode surface to electrolyte, (2) improved circulation of electrolyte throughout the basket during the course of anode corrosion, (3) minimum generation of sludge, (4) good balance among exposed anode surface area, unit weight of anode and space occupied by anodes.
Prior art anode configurations frequently take the form of chips, spheres, cubes, short rods and the like, which tend to nest, compact or consolidate during the course of a plating operation so as to cause inefficient corrosion and slow plating speeds.
It has been found that the above anode forms are undesirable because they suffer, in one manner or another, from defects such as inadequate surface area exposed to electrolyte, excessive sludge or sediment formation, reduced electrical conductivity from anode to anode and between anodes and the anode basket.
Typical prior art anodes over which the present invention is an improvement are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,868,052, 1,478,853 and 1,373,693.
A particular feature of the present invention is the provision of a novel anode structure which is susceptible of manufacture in large quantities at low cost using modern mass production techniques.
Another feature of the invention is the provision of an anode-anode basket combination which insures vertical side-by-side stacking of anodes within the anode baskets when dropped or fed manually or automatically through an anode basket loading opening.
A further feature of the invention is the provision of a combined anode-anode basket arrangement in which the anodes migrate to the bottom of the basket as corrosion occurs while continually maintaining the vertical position of each anode and good anode to anode and anode to basket contact with free circulation of the electrolyte throughout the anode life cycle and until the anode is completely ionized.
A still further feature of the invention is the provision of a novel method of packaging anodes within an anode basket suitable for immersion into an electrolytic bath.
A further feature of the invention is the provision of a novel electrolytic process.